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This thread is going a little astray, but I can't help but to think about those great pianists that could not perform in public such as Glenn Gould and even Rachmaninov and wonder if they lacked the narcissistic qualities necessary for a concert career.

Sometimes one wonders how (and why) pianists who suffer terribly from nerves keep giving concerts, e.g. Clifford Curzon. You only have to listen to his two live recordings of the Liszt Sonata (compare them to his studio recording made at the same time) to hear what happens. But as to whether he was narcissistic or egoistic.....

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"I don't play accurately - anyone can play accurately - but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life."

Sometimes one wonders how (and why) pianists who suffer terribly from nerves keep giving concerts, e.g. Clifford Curzon. You only have to listen to his two live recordings of the Liszt Sonata (compare them to his studio recording made at the same time) to hear what happens. But as to whether he was narcissistic or egoistic.....

From what I have read about Curzon, neither word would seem applicable.

Curzon evidently had problems with nerves in the studio as well. Reportedly, the opening of the 3rd movement of the Decca Brahms D minor required many, many takes before he could get it down accurately. Otherwise, the recording is something of a classic. And we certainly know what a fine chamber musician Curzon was.

Narcissism is not the same as having an ego. Narcissists have a pathological devotion to themselves, they lack empathy for others, they see others as tools for their own purposes. I think that's far too strong for our concert performers. I think performers usually have large egos - some very large, but I don't think they could be considered pathological.

The list of common symtoms of narcissistic personality disorder from Wiki:

-Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation-Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals-Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents-Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance-Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others-Becoming jealous easily-Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others-Being obsessed with oneself-Pursuing mainly selfish goals-Trouble keeping healthy relationships-Becoming easily hurt and rejected-Setting goals that are unrealistic-Wanting "the best" of everything-Appearing unemotional

Narcissism is not the same as having an ego. Narcissists have a pathological devotion to themselves, they lack empathy for others, they see others as tools for their own purposes. I think that's far too strong for our concert performers. I think performers usually have large egos - some very large, but I don't think they could be considered pathological.

The list of common symtoms of narcissistic personality disorder from Wiki:

-Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation-Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals-Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents-Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance-Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others-Becoming jealous easily-Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others-Being obsessed with oneself-Pursuing mainly selfish goals-Trouble keeping healthy relationships-Becoming easily hurt and rejected-Setting goals that are unrealistic-Wanting "the best" of everything-Appearing unemotional

Wait, sorry, were we discussion musicians or every one of my ex-es? I forget.

Narcissism is not the same as having an ego. Narcissists have a pathological devotion to themselves, they lack empathy for others, they see others as tools for their own purposes. I think that's far too strong for our concert performers. I think performers usually have large egos - some very large, but I don't think they could be considered pathological.

The list of common symtoms of narcissistic personality disorder from Wiki:

-Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation-Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals-Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents-Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance-Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others-Becoming jealous easily-Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others-Being obsessed with oneself-Pursuing mainly selfish goals-Trouble keeping healthy relationships-Becoming easily hurt and rejected-Setting goals that are unrealistic-Wanting "the best" of everything-Appearing unemotional

Wait, sorry, were we discussion musicians or every one of my ex-es? I forget.

Narcissism is not the same as having an ego. Narcissists have a pathological devotion to themselves, they lack empathy for others, they see others as tools for their own purposes. I think that's far too strong for our concert performers. I think performers usually have large egos - some very large, but I don't think they could be considered pathological.

The list of common symtoms of narcissistic personality disorder from Wiki:

-Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation-Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals-Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents-Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance-Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others-Becoming jealous easily-Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others-Being obsessed with oneself-Pursuing mainly selfish goals-Trouble keeping healthy relationships-Becoming easily hurt and rejected-Setting goals that are unrealistic-Wanting "the best" of everything-Appearing unemotional

Wait, sorry, were we discussion musicians or every one of my ex-es? I forget.

Yikes, sounds like you went through some tough times!

What would the "ex-es" say? Maybe it's they who went through some hard times!

As for "Gaspard dans la nuit", it must be heard live in a hall. It is physical, three-dimensional, no recording can bring this out no matter the player and I am indifferent to all that I have heard. I have been absolutely spellbound by it in concert on several occasions.

Narcissism is not the same as having an ego. Narcissists have a pathological devotion to themselves, they lack empathy for others, they see others as tools for their own purposes. I think that's far too strong for our concert performers. I think performers usually have large egos - some very large, but I don't think they could be considered pathological.

The list of common symtoms of narcissistic personality disorder from Wiki:

-Reacting to criticism with anger, shame, or humiliation-Taking advantage of others to reach their own goals-Exaggerating their own importance, achievements, and talents-Imagining unrealistic fantasies of success, beauty, power, intelligence, or romance-Requiring constant attention and positive reinforcement from others-Becoming jealous easily-Lacking empathy and disregarding the feelings of others-Being obsessed with oneself-Pursuing mainly selfish goals-Trouble keeping healthy relationships-Becoming easily hurt and rejected-Setting goals that are unrealistic-Wanting "the best" of everything-Appearing unemotional

"Narcissist" as a usage predates the invention of "narcissistic personality disorder" by quite a while, I think, and they aren't the same thing. If I think performers are, pretty much by definition, narcissists, it doesn't mean I think they all have the clinical disorder. Of course, they might have it, but that's not what I was saying.

I think the opposite as you, WR. An artist cannot be narcissistic or egoistic when he is playing, even if he is in "real life". For the time of a subject and a counter-subject he is worlds beyond that.

Originally Posted By: wr

In fact, the best narcissists probably flatter themselves over having those very qualities.